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Boston Globe
25-03-2025
- Boston Globe
Online harm gangs pose ‘unprecedented risk' to teens, says UK crime agency
He added, 'These groups are not lurking on the dark web, they exist in the same online world and platforms young people use on a daily basis,' and noted that young girls were being 'groomed into hurting themselves and in some cases, even encouraged to attempt suicide.' The groups have reached young people using gaming platforms such as Roblox as well as messaging apps such as Discord and Telegram. Advertisement The agency's National Strategic Assessment for 2024 said that while adults were involved in these communities or networks, it was especially concerned about teenage boys often sharing sadistic and misogynistic material and targeting girls as young as 11. Described as 'Com' networks, the forums have become vehicles for sharing images of extreme violence, gore, and child sexual abuse. They are also used to apply 'extreme coercion' to manipulate young people into harming or abusing themselves, their siblings or pets, the agency said. 'Members of 'Com' networks are usually young men who are motivated by status, power, control, misogyny, sexual gratification, or an obsession with extreme or violent material,' said the report, which added that the emergence of these types of online groups 'are almost certainly causing some individuals, especially younger people, to develop a dangerous propensity for extreme violence.' It added that the networks typically attract young males promoting nihilistic views, who 'attempt to gain status with other users by committing or encouraging harmful acts across a broad spectrum of offending.' Advertisement Users in Britain and other Western countries 'had exchanged millions of messages online relating to sexual and physical abuse,' it noted. The crime agency gave the example of Cameron Finnigan, a British teenager who was sentenced to jail in January after being part of an online satanist group that blackmails other children into filming or livestreaming self-harm, violence, and sexual abuse. Finnigan, 19, used the Telegram app to encourage contacts to commit murder and suicide. In his statement, Biggar said police were collaborating with technology companies and psychologists to better understand the behavior of young people but added that he encouraged parents 'to have regular conversations with their child about what they do online.' Jess Phillips, a government minister who has responsibility for tackling violence against women and girls, described the scale of abuse outlined in the report as 'absolutely horrific,' and also urged open conversations within families. 'My message to tech companies is simple: This is your responsibility, too,' she said. 'You must ensure your platforms are safe for children, so that we can protect the most vulnerable and put predators behind bars.' The agency's latest survey focused heavily on the use of technology and online platforms in crimes including fraud, extremism, and sexual abuse. Citing statistics from the Internet Watch Foundation, a nonprofit organization, it said that 291,273 webpages had contained indecent images of children in 2024, a 6 percent increase since 2023. Of these, 91 percent were classified as self-generated indecent imagery, either shared consensually, or elicited through manipulation. This article originally appeared in .
New York Times
25-03-2025
- New York Times
Online Harm Gangs Pose ‘Unprecedented Risk' to Teens, Says U.K. Crime Agency
Britain's National Crime Agency has warned of an 'unprecedented risk' to young people from online groups that encourage teenagers to share sadistic and misogynistic material and to coerce others into sexual abuse, self-harm or violence. The agency, which is responsible for combating serious and organized crime in Britain, said Tuesday in an annual assessment of crime trends that reports of incidents related to the threat from online groups increased sixfold between 2022 and 2024 in Britain and warned of significant numbers of victims being groomed or blackmailed. 'Young people are being drawn into these sadistic and violent online gangs, where they are collaborating at scale to inflict, or incite others to commit, serious harm,' said Graeme Biggar, director general of the agency, in a statement. He added, 'These groups are not lurking on the dark web, they exist in the same online world and platforms young people use on a daily basis,' and noted that young girls were being 'groomed into hurting themselves and in some cases, even encouraged to attempt suicide.' The agency's National Strategic Assessment for 2024 said that while adults were involved in these communities or networks, it was especially concerned about teenage boys often sharing sadistic and misogynistic material and targeting girls as young as 11. Described as 'Com' networks, the forums have become vehicles for sharing images of extreme violence, gore and child sexual abuse. They are also used to apply 'extreme coercion' to manipulate young people into harming or abusing themselves, their siblings or pets, the agency said. 'Members of 'Com' networks are usually young men who are motivated by status, power, control, misogyny, sexual gratification, or an obsession with extreme or violent material,' said the report, which added that the emergence of these types of online groups 'are almost certainly causing some individuals, especially younger people, to develop a dangerous propensity for extreme violence.' It added that the networks typically attract young males promoting nihilistic views, who 'attempt to gain status with other users by committing or encouraging harmful acts across a broad spectrum of offending.' Users in Britain and other western countries 'had exchanged millions of messages online relating to sexual and physical abuse,' it noted. The crime agency gave the example of Cameron Finnigan, a British teenager who was sentenced to jail in January after being part of an online Satanist group that blackmails other children into filming or livestreaming self-harm, violence and sexual abuse. Mr. Finnigan, 19, used the Telegram app to encourage contacts to commit murder and suicide. In his statement, Mr. Biggar said that police were collaborating with technology companies and psychologists to better understand the behavior of young people but added that he encouraged parents 'to have regular conversations with their child about what they do online.' Jess Phillips, a government minister who has responsibility for tackling violence against women and girls, described the scale of abuse outlined in the report as 'absolutely horrific,' and also urged open conversations within families. 'My message to tech companies is simple: This is your responsibility, too,' she added. 'You must ensure your platforms are safe for children, so that we can protect the most vulnerable and put predators behind bars.' The agency's latest survey focused heavily on the use of technology and online platforms in crimes including fraud, extremism and sexual abuse. Citing statistics from the Internet Watch Foundation, a nonprofit organization, it said that 291,273 web pages had contained indecent images of children in 2024, a 6 percent increase since 2023. Of these, 91 percent were classified as self-generated indecent imagery, either shared consensually, or elicited through manipulation.
Yahoo
25-03-2025
- Yahoo
What are Com networks and what threat do they pose?
Stark warnings have been issued by law enforcement chiefs about so-called Com networks, described as the 'online equivalent of urban street gangs'. The National Crime Agency (NCA) raised the groups as a key threat in its annual National Strategic Assessment, published on Tuesday. The groups are loose online networks that share extreme graphic material and manipulate victims to allow them to commit both sexual and violent child abuse, as well as fraud. Members are mainly teenage boys who are driven by a desire for status, sharing more and more extreme content and committing increasingly serious crimes. The groups use various platforms including Discord and Telegram, and some gaming apps are also believed to be ways boys get drawn into the networks. NCA director general for threats James Babbage said: 'Competitive and collaborative behaviours involved in gaming may also be another way that people get drawn into competitive and collaborative behaviour in these forums, and then become desensitised to the sort of violence they're seeing. 'In an attempt to gain kudos and notoriety they seek to outdo what they're seeing others do.' It is estimated that thousands of teenage boys are members of the networks, but the NCA believes their crimes are significantly under-reported. This is partly because some of their victims have been groomed and may not be aware that a crime has taken place. Mr Babbage said the groups are 'the online equivalent of urban street gangs committing crimes to make money, cause fear and harm, and gain notoriety.' They will sometimes deliberately target victims who have sought out information about eating disorders, suicidal thoughts, or other mental health issues. Members become involved in a wide range of disturbing activities online, from viewing and sharing extreme violent material to coercing victims to harm themselves or commit sexual acts. They use the same techniques to groom victims as they do to target others for fraud. NCA director general Graeme Biggar said both investigators at the agency and in counter-terrorism policing are seeing 'gamification' of threats, where young people want to progress through levels and therefore their level of offending escalates quickly. He said the speed at which the crimes become extreme is new. 'We've seen a number of mass victim offenders in child sexual abuse cases before, but the level of social networking, the pursuit of notoriety within the networks, and the speed of moving to the most extreme harms is new and shocking.' Sign in to access your portfolio
New York Times
25-03-2025
- New York Times
Online Harm Groups Pose ‘Unprecedented Risk' to Teens, Says U.K. Crime Agency
Britain's National Crime Agency has warned of an 'unprecedented risk' to young people from online groups that encourage teenagers to share sadistic and misogynistic material and to coerce others into sexual abuse, self-harm or violence. The agency, which is responsible for combating serious and organized crime in Britain, said Tuesday in an annual assessment of crime trends that reports of incidents related to the threat from online groups increased sixfold between 2022 and 2024 in Britain and warned of significant numbers of victims being groomed or blackmailed. 'Young people are being drawn into these sadistic and violent online gangs, where they are collaborating at scale to inflict, or incite others to commit, serious harm,' said Graeme Biggar, director general of the agency, in a statement. He added, 'These groups are not lurking on the dark web, they exist in the same online world and platforms young people use on a daily basis,' and noted that young girls were being 'groomed into hurting themselves and in some cases, even encouraged to attempt suicide.' The agency's National Strategic Assessment for 2024 said that while adults were involved in these communities or networks, it was especially concerned about teenage boys often sharing sadistic and misogynistic material and targeting girls as young as 11. Described as 'Com' networks, the forums have become vehicles for sharing images of extreme violence, gore and child sexual abuse. They are also used to apply 'extreme coercion' to manipulate young people into harming or abusing themselves, their siblings or pets, the agency said. 'Members of 'Com' networks are usually young men who are motivated by status, power, control, misogyny, sexual gratification, or an obsession with extreme or violent material,' said the report, which added that the emergence of these types of online groups 'are almost certainly causing some individuals, especially younger people, to develop a dangerous propensity for extreme violence.' It added that the networks typically attract young males promoting nihilistic views, who 'attempt to gain status with other users by committing or encouraging harmful acts across a broad spectrum of offending.' Users in Britain and other western countries 'had exchanged millions of messages online relating to sexual and physical abuse,' it noted. The crime agency gave the example of Cameron Finnigan, a British teenager who was sentenced to jail in January after being part of an online Satanist group that blackmails other children into filming or livestreaming self-harm, violence and sexual abuse. Mr. Finnigan, 19, used the Telegram app to encourage contacts to commit murder and suicide. In his statement, Mr. Biggar said that police were collaborating with technology companies and psychologists to better understand the behavior of young people but added that he encouraged parents 'to have regular conversations with their child about what they do online.' Jess Phillips, a government minister who has responsibility for tackling violence against women and girls, described the scale of abuse outlined in the report as 'absolutely horrific,' and also urged open conversations within families. 'My message to tech companies is simple: This is your responsibility, too,' she added. 'You must ensure your platforms are safe for children, so that we can protect the most vulnerable and put predators behind bars.' The agency's latest survey focused heavily on the use of technology and online platforms in crimes including fraud, extremism and sexual abuse. Citing statistics from the Internet Watch Foundation, a nonprofit organization, it said that 291,273 web pages had contained indecent images of children in 2024, a 6 percent increase since 2023. Of these, 91 percent were classified as self-generated indecent imagery, either shared consensually, or elicited through manipulation.
Yahoo
25-03-2025
- Yahoo
Growing threat of teenage boys targeting girls online for sexual abuse and violence, says NCA
Teenage boys are grooming young girls into sexual abuse, self-harm and even suicide after forming 'sadistic and violent online gangs', the National Crime Agency has warned. The gangs - formed mainly of boys - are sharing misogynistic posts, images of violence and gore, and child sexual abuse pictures in so-called 'com networks'. The NCA says it has seen a surge of reports – increasing six-fold - in the UK between 2022 and 2024, covering thousands of victims and culprits. The crime-fighting agency spoke out on Tuesday alongside Government Minister for Safeguarding and Violence Against Women and Girls Jess Phillips to warn about the emerging phenomenon. It comes after Netflix drama Adolescence – the most talked-about show this year - thrust on to the national agenda the impact of social media on children and the negative influences of the 'manosphere'. The Stephen Graham drama, which depicts the fallout from the murder of a schoolgirl by a 13-year-old boy, has led Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer to welcome calls for it to be shown in schools. The NCA has now published its annual National Strategic Assessment, which outlines the dangers of 'com networks' and social media which 'routinely share harmful content and extremist or misogynistic rhetoric'. It said: 'Extreme and illicit imagery depicting violence, gore and child sexual abuse material is frequently shared amongst users, normalising and desensitising participants to increasingly extreme content and behaviours. ''Com' networks use extreme coercion to manipulate their victims, who are often children, into harming or abusing themselves, their siblings or pets, and re-victimising them by doxing or appropriation by other offenders. 'Members of 'Com' networks are usually young men who are motivated by status, power, control, misogyny, sexual gratification or an obsession with extreme or violent material. 'The emergence of these types of online platforms are almost certainly causing some individuals, especially younger people, to develop a dangerous propensity for extreme violence.' It comes shortly after Kyle Clifford was jailed for the rest of his life for the murders of his ex-girlfriend Louise Hunt, her sister Hannah, and her mother Carol in a horrific attack at their family home. Clifford, 26, launched the attack with a crossbow and a knife after Louise had ended their relationship, after concerns about his controlling behaviour and racist views. Detectives then discovered he had watched a video from misogynist influencer Andrew Tate prior to the killings. Graeme Biggar, director general of the NCA, said 'deeply concerning' networks online are competing for notoriety by sharing increasingly disturbing content and inflicting escalating harm on their victims. 'Young people are being drawn into these sadistic and violent online gangs where they are collaborating at scale to inflict, or incite others to commit, serious harm', he said. 'These groups are not lurking on the dark web, they exist in the same online world and platforms young people use on a daily basis. 'It is especially concerning to see the impact this is having on young girls who are often groomed into hurting themselves and in some cases, even encouraged to attempt suicide.' Mr Biggar urged parents and carers to speak to children about what they are doing online, and added that some victims may not realise a crime has been committed against them because they have been groomed. Ms Phillips hit out at the 'absolutely horrific' online abuse and called for a 'co-ordinated response to tackle this global issue. 'We have seen the heartbreaking impact of crimes such as grooming and sextortion on victims around the world - many of them children who have been blackmailed and manipulated into sharing images of themselves, which has devastatingly led to some children taking their own lives.' She added: 'My message to parents is to have open conversations with your children and to seek support if you are concerned about child sexual abuse. 'My message to tech companies is simple: this is your responsibility too. You must ensure your platforms are safe for children, so that we can protect the most vulnerable and put predators behind bars.' Undercover police officers have been deployed to track down online networks and expose offenders, and police forces have echoed calls for social media companies to do more to help tackle the problem. Andy Burrows, chief executive of the Molly Rose Foundation, called on the Government and regulator Ofcom to take action over extreme material online. He said: 'These horrendous groups pose a deeply disturbing and sharply growing risk to children, especially teenage girls who are being sadistically groomed into acts of self-harm and even suicide online. 'Despite being repeatedly warned of the threat posed by these groups, Ofcom has failed to introduce a single targeted measure to tackle disturbing suicide and self-harm offences. This glaring gap in its regulatory regime must be closed. 'The Prime Minister must now take decisive action to ensure the Online Safety Act is fit for purpose in the face of new online risks and the threat posed by the fluid ideologies that are fuelling this troubling wave of extreme violence.'
